Clinical significance of Th1, Th2 and Th17 cell determinations among different active stage ankylosing spondylitis patients

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-8640.2014.05.011

Abstract

Abstract: Objective To investigate the roles and clinical significance of T helper cell 1(Th1), T helper cell 2(Th2) and T helper cell 17(Th17) in the occurrence and development of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods A total of 78 AS patients(44 cases of low-activity group and 34 cases of high-activity group) and 30 healthy subjects(healthy control group) were enrolled, and their Th1, Th2 and Th17 percentages were determined by flow cytometry(FCM) and intracellular cytokine staining(ICS) technique. The relationship between the percentages of Th1, Th2 and Th17 and the activity of AS was analyzed. Results The percentages of Th1 in AS group, low-activity group and high-activity group were 15.86%±3.30%, 14.18%±2.35% and 17.75%±3.14%, which were significantly higher than that in healthy control group(12.05%±2.35%, P<0.01). The percentage of Th1 in high-activity group was significantly higher than that in low-activity group(P<0.01).The percentages of Th2 in AS group and high-activity group were 1.51%±0.51% and 1.31%±0.41%, which were significantly lower than those in low-activity group (1.90%±0.51%) and healthy control group (1.98%±0.60%, P<0.05).The percentages of Th17 in AS group, low-activity group and high-activity group were 1.57%±0.78%, 1.26%±0.57% and 2.00%±0.86%, which were significantly higher than that in healthy control group (0.82%±0.35%, P<0.05). The percentage of Th17 in low-activity group was significantly lower than that in high-activity group(P<0.01). The relationship between Bath AS disease activity index (BASDAI) and the percentages of Th1 and Th17 showed that there was a positive correlation [correlation coefficient (r) 0.809 and 0.409, P<0.01], and BASDAI with the percentage of Th2 had negative correlation (r= -0.340, P<0.01). Conclusions AS patients′ CD4⁺ T lymphocyte subsets are functionally defective, consequent to the imbalance of cytokine network and immune functional defection, being involved in occurrence and development. Th1, Th2 and Th17 can be as new detection indices for the diagnosis of AS, which could serve as indicators of prognosis.

Key words: T helper cell 1, T helper cell 2, T helper cell 17, Ankylosing spondylitis

CLC Number:

R446.6

ZHONG Naifeng, MA Li.. Clinical significance of Th1, Th2 and Th17 cell determinations among different active stage ankylosing spondylitis patients[J]. , 2014, 29(5): 477-482.

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